Wheelbarrow.



B. 1?. BROWN.

WHEELBARROW.

APPLICATION FILED 001215, 1908.

Patented June 29, 1909.

BENJAMIN F. BROWN, 0F BRIDGEION, INDIANA.

\VHEELB ARRO'W.

Application filed October 15, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeton, in the county of Parke and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ll'heelbarrows; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to wheelbarrows.

The object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which will have its body automatically locked when resting upon the frame, and which lock will automatically release when the frame is thrown to dumping position.

i further object of the invention is to so construct the parts that the frame does not have to be raised to vertical for the barrow to dump.

l ith these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the barrow in a dumping position; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through one of the hinges and through the latching device; Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring more especially to the drawings, 1 represents the frame which is composed of the side members 2 and the transverse struts 3 and 4. The side members 2 have the usual handles 5, and at their forward ends have journaled therein the wheel shaft 6, with the central wheel '7, mounted thereon. Suitable legs 8 depend from the rear of the cross bars and are held in vertical position by braces 9. The body 10 of the barrow comprises the side members 11, bottom 12 and the inclined front member 13. Secured to the bottom and to the inclined front member are the hinge members 14, which at their forward end surround the shaft so as to be pivotally connected thereto. These hinge members depend, from the horizontal line of the bottom to the axle so that when the frame is raised 5' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 29, 1909.

Serial No. 457,935.

to a position approximately 15 from the vertical the body of the barrow tilts forwardly to dump, owing to the fact that the majority of the weight of the barrow is disposed on the opposite side of the center of support.

Hinged to the bottom 12 at the rear end of the body is a gravity latch 15, whose lower end is provided with a friction roller 16, or the like, to engage over a latching tongue or finger 17, projecting forwardly from the under side of the truss member 1. The latching 15 is in the form of a bail and has its edges engaging the sides of a tongue so as to prevent any side swinging of the rear end of the body. By using this gravity latch it will be noticed that when the frame is tilted into dumping position, the latch automatically drops out of engagement with the finger and releases the barrow body for dumping. hen returned to normal position, however, the bail drops into engagement with the finger and locks the body to the frame. It will be noticed that the finger slants slightly upward so as to be constantly at right angles to the bail when the latter is in latched position.

In order to limit the dumping movement of the body I secure an eye 18 to the bottom 12 at its inner end and connect the same with similar eyes 19 on the side members by flexi ble chains 20.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the inven tion will be readily understood without re quiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a wheelbarrow, a frame, a body pivoted thereto, and a latching device adapted to automatically release the body from the frame when the latter is thrown to (lumping position.

2. In a wheelbarrow, a frame, a body pivotcd to the frame at one end thereof, a tongue carried by the frame, and an automatically my hand in presence of two subscribing Witaoting gravity latch adapted to release the I nesses. body from the frame When the latter is a v thrown to (lumping position and to automat- 1 BENJAMIN BRQVV 5 ioally secure the parts together When the barrow is in normal position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set Witnesses:

THOMAS WATT, HARRY M. RoGERs. 

